This invention relates generally to the use of lasers in surgical procedures. More particularly, it relates to a method for performing lipoplasty by exposing adipose tissue to laser radiation to facilitate its removal from the body.
There is a great demand for the cosmetic surgical procedure known as liposuction, wherein excess adipose tissue, also known as fat, is vacuumed from the body of a patient. The typical purpose of the liposuction procedure is to leave the patient thinner, with aesthetically more appealing body contours. For example, liposuction is often performed on patients to remove excess fat in the abdominal, buttock, thigh, breast and arm regions of the body.
Adipose tissue is made of adipocytes, or fat cells, which are enclosed membranes filled with globules of triglycerides. In normal fat the fat cells have regular contours and form into grapelike clusters. The intracellular fat is relatively fluid and, if the membrane is pierced, will flow out of the cell into the interstitial space. The interstitial space includes nerves, blood vessels, and collagenic fibers, among other substances.
Liposuction is performed by inserting a narrow tube, or cannula, through a tiny incision in the skin into the subcutaneous fatty tissue. The cannula is repeatedly pushed then pulled through the fat layer, separating and puncturing the fat cells and suctioning them out. Suction action through the cannula is provided by a vacuum pump or a large syringe.
In contrast to the aesthetic improvements to the body made possible by liposuction, the procedure does carry with it some risks and side effects. Due to the physical damage induced, the procedure can damage nerves and vasculature in the surrounding area, often resulting in significant loss of blood as the blood is vacuumed out with the fat. In addition, the post-procedure recovery period is often accompanied by a great deal of inflammation, bruising and concomitant pain.
Since the liposuction technique was first developed there have been many improvements to the technique, with the goal of making the surgery less dangerous for the patient, as well as reducing the negative aspects of the post-operative recovery period. For example, in the tumescent technique known in prior art, a saline solution containing very dilute amounts of at least an anesthetic and a vasoconstrictor is injected subcutaneously into the area to be suctioned. The anesthetic reduces operative and post-operative pain and the vasoconstrictor helps reduce blood loss. The added fluid forms an emulsion with the fat cells, which has a lower viscosity than the fat cells alone and is therefore easier to suction. The result is increased rate and completeness of fat removal, decreased blood loss, decreased post-operative bruising and improved recovery time.
Cannulas have been improved by enabling the cannula to emit laser light and ultrasound energy directly onto the fat cells. This internal application of energy melts the cell wall, releasing the intracellular fat, thereby making the fatty tissue less viscous and more easily suctioned up through the narrow cannula. These procedures suffer the disadvantage of still having to physically stab the cannula repeatedly in the fat layer as well as essentially melting the adipose tissue, resulting in undesirable levels of bruising, inflammation, pain and blood loss.
Electromagnetic energy, such as microwave, ultrasound or radio frequency radiation, has also been used to improve the procedure by reducing the size of fat cells. An intumescing solution is again injected below the skin and electromagnetic energy is applied externally to the body. The electromagnetic energy heats the fatty tissue and increases fat lipolysis. These procedures are disadvantageous in that they utilize such high energy sources that they excessively heat the surrounding tissue, which can result in damage to the tissue and pain.
Over the past decade, low energy laser therapy (LLLT) has been used increasingly in the treatment of a broad range of conditions such as treatment and repair of injured muscles and tendons. LLLT has improved wound healing, reduced edema, and relieved pain of various etiologies. LLLT has been used successfully post-operative to liposuction to reduce inflammation and pain.
It is desirable to remove fat with less damage to the fatty tissue, less blood loss, less post-operative bruising, inflammation, and pain than what existing methods enable. Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an improved method of liposuction which facilitates removal of fat with limited physical damage to the surrounding tissue and structures. It is another object of this invention to provide an improved method of liposuction which reduces blood loss. It is another object of this invention to provide an improved method of liposuction which reduces post-operative inflammation and post-operative pain.
This invention is an improved lipoplasty method which includes applying laser energy to the adipose tissue externally through the skin at the same time suction is applied to the targeted tissue. The presently preferred method includes introducing a solution through an opening in the body to cause the solution to come into contact with adipocytes in the adipose tissue before or simultaneous with applying the laser energy. Optionally, the method can further include reducing inflammation by applying laser energy externally through the skin. Also optionally, the method can include reducing pain by applying laser energy externally through the skin.